Saddler's Peaky Blinder Irish Cup Round Two
Glentoran 1–0 Cliftonville
RORY Donnelly headed home just before the hour mark to ensure that Glentoran progressed to the quarter-final of the Irish Cup with a 1-0 victory over Cliftonville at The Oval on Saturday evening.
It was cagey encounter between the sides that contested last year’s semi-final and after a goalless opening period, Donnelly pounced against his former side to ensure it was a similar outcome to last year for the Cup holders.
Cliftonville manager Paddy McLaughlin was disappointed in the manner in which his side lost the game and felt the conceding from a set-piece was criminal.
“It’s disappointing to lose a Cup game in the manner that we lost it,” he admitted.
“To lose a Cup game is a bad feeling for the team, the club and the supporters because we want to end this jinx that has been hanging over the club for too long. I think in the first half we more than matched Glentoran all-round the park and we were winning our individual battles.
“I think we did that in the second half again but in the final third we didn’t create too much, not until late-on. To get done by a set-piece was criminal so we’re bitterly disappointed.”
Seanan Clucas and Chris Curran tussle
McLaughlin made five changes from the side that was beaten by Larne on Tuesday evening: Aaron McCarey returned in goals after serving a one-game ban, while Jamie Harney, Chris Curran, Liam Bagnall and Ronan Doherty all returned to the starting 11 after being out with injuries for the last few weeks.
Cliftonville almost got in behind the Glens’ defence early on when a long ball from Chris Curran set namesake Ryan on a chase into the area but a combination of Jamie McDonagh and Rory Brown were able to quell the potential danger.
Glentoran thought they had broken the deadlock after a quarter of an hour. From an in-swinging corner Luke McCullough saw his initial effort blocked and Rory Donnelly guided the rebound home, but referee Andrew Davey ruled the goal out for a high foot.
Fresh off dispatching a fantastic free-kick against Larne on Tuesday evening, Barry Coffey wanted to try and replicate that, but his effort was too high to trouble Brown in the Glentoran goal.
In truth, it was a tame opening half with Ronan Doherty seeing his shot deflected behind by McCullough and at the other end, Kris Lowe put the brakes on a dangerous Rory Donnelly opening.
The Glens went close before the half hour mark through a Seanan Clucas cross that Rory Donnelly was unable to steer goalwards.
A few minutes later, Aaron McCarey punched clear in the area and the ball fell to Paddy McClean whose snapshot was wide of the target and at the break the game was goalless in East Belfast.
The Glens were first to threaten early in the second period through Jay Donnelly whose low cross was welted behind by Jamie Harney. Rory Hale saw his flick header comfortably gathered by Rory Brown at the other end.
On 54 minutes, Gael Bigirimana pieced a through ball into the path of Rory Donnelly who was denied by Aaron McCarey.
From the resulting corner, Dale Gorman’s delivery was met by Jay Donnelly and McCarey was again forced to intervene.
The Reds’ shot-stopper made a tremendous one-handed stop to deny Dale Gorman at the expense of a further corner from which the hosts eventually made their pressure tell.
Gorman sent in an inch-perfect cross from the right and Rory Donnelly headed home at the near post to give the holders the lead.
Cliftonville searched for the equaliser but struggled to test Rory Brown.
Ciaran O'Connor goes close
With little over 20 minutes remaining, Daire O’Connor fed Chris Curran but his cross was deflected and there was nobody in the prime position to gamble. Rory Hale then let fly with a shot that was too high to trouble Brown
Glentoran had the opportunity to make the game safe when Jamie McDonagh crossed on a plate for substitute Ciaran O’Connor who skewed the ball over from inside the six-yard box.
Rory Donnelly again found O’Connor inside the area a few minutes later but McCarey came to the rescue.
As the game ticked to injury-time, Chris Curran sent in a dangerous cross that was pounced upon by Rory Brown. A knock-on by Daire O’Connor then presented Michael McCrudden with a chance that was just too high. McCrudden had the game’s final opportunity but his effort was high and off target and Glentoran saw the game out to progress to the quarter-final on Tuesday evening as the Reds’ wait for an Irish Cup goes on.
GLENTORAN: Brown, McCullough, Bigirimana, McDonagh, Gorman, R Donnelly, McClean, Clucas (O’Connor 75), Marron, Marshall, J Donnelly.
CLIFTONVILLE: McCarey, Lowe, O’Reilly, Harney, Donnelly, Bagnall, Doherty (O’Connor 57), C Curran, Coffey (McCrudden 65), Hale, R Curran (O’Neill 72).
REFEREE: Andrew Davey
